Yoga Vs. Pilates

[Guest Sup3rst4r]

That's right!

"When people speak of the physical benefits of exercise, they tend to focus on the three S's of strength, stamina and slimming, and so their training programs usually consist of weight lifting to build muscle, with some form of aerobic activity to build cardiovascular endurance and burn calories. But there's a second tier of benefits now making their way onto the A-list. These include flexibility, coordination, posture and stress relief.

It's not that these secondary benefits weren't always important -- it's just that they're more in the spotlight these days thanks to the growing popularity of so-called "softer" training modalities. Two of the most popular of these are yoga and Pilates.

Yoga, of course, has been popular in the U.S. for decades. I started practicing yoga more than 20 years ago and it's still one of my favorite ways to tone my body and calm my mind. Pilates though is a newer trend that apparently still has many people baffled. I often get letters inquiring about the difference between Pilates and yoga and asking which I recommend. As with most "which do I recommend" questions, the answer depends on your physical goals. Simply put, the difference between yoga and Pilates is that between East and West. Both systems build strength and flexibility; the difference between them is not so much physical as it is philosophical.

A Tale of Two Workouts

Let's take Yoga first. Yoga is based on the Eastern idea of moving energy through your body. The more freely the energy flows, the healthier and more energetic you feel. Physical tension hinders the flow; over time, areas of tension in your body can become tight and rigid, even painful. The goal of yoga is to keep the body supple through movement and stretching. But there's another dimension. Yoga is a holistic spiritual discipline with its roots in Eastern forms of meditation. The physical postures, although they condition the body, are really aimed at the mind. They symbolize the goal of living your life in a state of balance and composure. When I spend an hour in a yoga class, I melt into a kind of meditative state and emerge wonderfully relaxed and refreshed.

Pilates on the other hand is physical conditioning first and foremost -- and there's nothing quite like it. Its creator, Joseph Pilates, was looking for a way to rehabilitate injured soldiers after World War I. He developed an assortment of curious machines with names like the "Reformer" and the "Cadillac." Using cables and trolleys and unusual body positioning, Pilates exercises stretch and strengthen and are unique in their ability to encourage coordination between the muscles that stabilize the body.

Pilates techniques quickly became a hit with dancers, who found them a highly effective way to improve body awareness and alignment and promote graceful, fluid motion. Machine-based Pilates actually has more in common with weight training than with yoga since it involves moving against resistance (provided by springs) with the aim of overloading the muscles. In particular it resembles functional strength exercises such as squats or cable pulls. There's also a new form of Pilates, the Pilates mat class, which relies more on callisthenic-style exercises and stretches. This form is physically more similar to a yoga class though the emphasis is still on physical change rather than on spiritual development through postures and breathing.

The Choice Is Yours

The Choice Is Yours Generally speaking, I think it's fair to say yoga is more about how it makes you feel while Pilates is about how you look -- how you carry yourself and move. So if you're looking for a limbering, rejuvenating workout that will provide as much of a lift for your brain as your body -- and you're not too concerned about building muscle --I'd recommend yoga. If you're interested in a more dynamic system of muscle conditioning -- or if you just want to try something new and different -- Pilates may be the answer.

In fact, it doesn't have to be an either-or choice. After all, no single training system can give your body all the types of conditioning it needs. That's why my week includes a variety of activities, from weight lifting to hiking, running, yoga and more. My best recommendation is to try everything -- experience it all -- and see what works best for you. East or West, the important thing is to explore!"

-Source

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A picture of Ock Ju Hyun doing Yoga (taken from the Ock Ju Hyun Diet and Yoga topic)

And a picture of Pilates

Okay, so just wondering, which one do you prefer/like?

Which one gave you results, if so what kind (weight loss, toning) and how much?

And post anything else thats relevant...

I personally have tried both, but still don't know which one suits me more.. so would like your opinions. Thanks, appreciated.

[Guest BabyK]

Well I'm doing Yoga now (Ock Ju Hyun's Yoga) and for the past 3-4 days I've saw a pretty quick difference in my body. The diet part is on you. Depends on what you eat so yeah I perfer Yoga. It calms me down.

I've never tried pilates yet but I heard it's like yoga but more upbeat.

[Guest oneday]

I prefer Pilate.

I bought myself a whole set of Winsor Pilate and I LOVE it.

It actually makes you sweat without making you feel like you're about to die.

Yoga, on the other hand, isn't as..well, fun as Pilate (IMO, of course).

I tried Yoga during my Psychology class, and the Downward Dog killed almost everyone in the class. Wasn't that great of an experience....

[Guest ;SulHwa]

I actually enjoy both.

I haven't done too much yoga, but I have done it before. It takes a lot of balance. haha. Something I don't have a ton of.

But I think I like pilates better.

It's faster paced, and I like feeling like I'm actually working out.

Not to say that yoga isn't working out. It's just different.

I wanna try Ok Joo Hyun's yoga video sometime, though.

It sounds like fun :]

[Guest luluchan]

wut about POWER YOGA?? like im gonna go do power yoga for the 1st time this friday and i wonder what will that do to u??

i want lean body like BOA >_< but i think i'll never get to that! >_<

thanks for the info!

[Guest SilentDream]

^ I went to a power yoga class and holy cow it was so hard haha. My body ached for a few days afterwards but it felt good ^^. Have fun!

[Guest Seraphic_Gin]

i want to do yoga but my body isn't for it. i like pilates coz i like a lot of stretching..

but i had a trainor that combines both, so it's a bit less exhausting but still works..

[Guest hunny]

More into pilates.

I see yoga needs to be more flexible.. which.. don't works on me.

i'm a freaking stone

[Guest Sup3rst4r]

Hehe, thanks for all your inputs... I guess I might alternate both?..

So do you guys go to the gym for it, or at home doing a DVD?

The videos I've tried are:

-Pilates for Dummies (great for beginners)

-Ock Joo Hyun Diet and Yoga (it's pretty good and she has an amazing body, but I didn't feel like I got much out of it as others on the forum)

-Crunch's Pick Your Spot Pilates (Especially focused on your belly, butt, and thighs, it was okay)

-Living Arts' "Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss" (the worst, most boring workout I've had, and do NOT fall for the name)

I can't go to the gym since its quite expensive :fury:, so I like the workout DVDs.

So any DVDs you guys would recommend?

Thanks!

[Guest SukarDrops]

i do yoga..but i slacked off ALOT lol i used to do it everyday buti started to over sleep and when i woke up i was way to lazy...so im gonna start that back up again..I was doing the Ock Joo Hyun video i thought it rocked and i saw results( I was doing it for 2 weeks) my balance became good and i was already a bit flexible soo yaay yoga lol

[Guest auroralbutterfly]

i used to do some pilates every night, but i got lazy or too tired.sometiimes i get embarassed to do yoga or pilates when my family is around xD

[Guest mcsn]

i do both..

but i like pilates more.. especially the one with the stability ball because i feel that i worked out after i do that..while yoga.. it's not that intense.. but.. i tried to do the headstand lol it's fun! haha.. oh well.. it depends really..sometimes i do yoga only for a week, then pilates on the next..

i see my arms are toned now..coz i've been doing it for almost 2 months.. but my stomach..is still eh.. coz i eat a lot! oh well.. i need to do cardio as well i suppose..

[Guest angelzstar]

I do the Bryan Kest power yoga ones, which i started like 2 days ago again.......I like it, the feeling afterwards even though it is very tough when you are actually doing it......i love the last pose, the corpse one........it feels soooooooo good afterwards....and you can feel it actually work cause your muscles arre kinda sore afterwards